Ron Burke sends out seven winners at Gaitway Farm

Manalapan, NJ — Shes A Streaker (Huntsville-Mikayla Rose) was the swiftest of all in Monday’s opening round of harness racing qualifiers for 2-year-olds at Gaitway Farm, where the female pacer posted a 1:57.1 win for trainer Ron Burke and driver Jordan Stratton.

Burke sent out 25 horses in the eight qualifiers for the rookies and came away with seven winners. His other victors were male trotters Frank Leahy and Blown Call, male pacers Gannon’s Veloucity and Railroad Station, female pacer Karma and female trotter Ms Prada.

Julie Miller captured the remaining qualifier for the freshmen with Netherlands-bred male trotter Portobarosso AS.

Shes A Streaker, a half-sister to state-bred stakes winners Captain Fear Not and Dancethenightaway, was second for most of the mile before sprinting home with a :26.4 last quarter to beat stablemate Sweet Ballad by a half-length. Sweet Ballad closed in :26.1. The winning time was one second better than the next fastest mile by a 2-year-old (Gannon’s Veloucity) and two seconds better than the third fastest (Railroad Station).

“I was really happy with Shes A Streaker,” Burke said. “That whole race was really good. That (1):57 out here, back half in :55 and a piece, that’s pretty impressive.”

Shes A Streaker, purchased for $80,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale, is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services Inc., Frank Baldachino, and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. The filly was bred by Walnridge Farm and Bonnie Benson.

Gannon’s Veloucity came home with a :27.1 last quarter to win his qualifier with Yannick Gingras in the sulky. The son of Sweet Lou-Continual Velocity is a full brother to Grand Circuit winners Canigetalouploup (who captured an elimination for the Fan Hanover Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday) and Continualou. He was bred by owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi.

Railroad Station (Sweet Lou-Rodeo Rosie), who finished with a :27 last quarter, won with David Miller in the sulky. He was purchased for $110,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Weaver Bruscemi, and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. His family includes Grand Circuit winners Indulge Me, Reign On Me, Summer Child, and The Firepan; his extended family includes millionaires Jimmy Freight and Abuckabett Hanover. He was bred by Eric Good.

Karma (Tall Dark Stranger-Alexis Faith), whose family includes 2021 Horse of the Year Test Of Faith, won in 2:02.2 with a :27.2 last quarter. She was fourth at the half, which was timed in 1:05.2. The filly was purchased for $225,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Tom Dillon and Scott Dillon. She was bred by Crawford Farms.

On the trotting side, Ms Prada (Greenshoe-Asiago) had the fastest mile of the day, winning in 1:59.2 with Gingras in the bike. She sold for $100,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Burke Racing, Beasty, Joseph DiScala Jr., and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. She was bred by Marvin Katz, Sam Goldband, Al Libfeld, and Black Horse Racing.

Frank Leahy (Southwind Frank-Regal Woman), driven by Joe Bongiorno, scored in 1:59.3 for owners Ben Mondello and FAC Racing. The colt, purchased for $24,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale. He is a three-quarter brother to Grand Circuit winner Herodotus and his extended family includes multiple Dan Patch Award winner Check Me Out.

Blown Call (Chapter Seven-Wine Rack Hanover) won in 2:00.1 with Gingras. He was purchased for $170,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Brad Grant and Jablonsky Held Stable. He is from the family of 2009 Horse of the Year Muscle Hill and his extended family includes 2020 Trotter of the Year Gimpanzee. He was bred by Peter Barbato and Spring Run Farm.

“Overall, I thought they were really good,” Burke said about his horses. “It’s windy, the first quarters are slow, but they’re getting home good. That’s all that matters. I’m looking for good experiences.”

In addition to his stable of freshmen at Gaitway Farm, he has a large group in Pennsylvania.

“I have a lot more at home than in years past,” he said. “Some of my better ones are at The Meadows this year. I needed more room, so I built on to my training center in Pennsylvania. And the game has moved to the Midwest a little bit.”

Miller-trained Portobarosso AS won his qualifier in 2:02.1 with Andy Miller in the sulky. The son of Bar Hopping-Measuredperfection was purchased for $72,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by an Italian and French group made up of Allev Della Serenissima, Alain Pineau, Chelsea SRL, and Dario Gariglio. The colt was bred by Dr. Ron Nooteboom.

The final two rounds of qualifiers for 2-year-olds at Gaitway Farm will be held on Thursday (June 20) and Thursday (June 27).

For complete qualifier results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA